William of Auvergne (or Paris) was born in Aurillac in the province of Auvergne. He was a master of theology at Paris by 1223 and was consecrated bishop of Paris in 1228. His chief philosophical works are De trinitate, seu De primo principio (c. 1223; translated as The Trinity, or The First Principle), which presents his metaphysics; De universo (c. 1231–1240; translated as The Universe of Creatures); and De anima (c. 1240; translated as The Soul); all parts of his seven-part Magisterium divinale et sapientiale. These works were written in a literary and highly personal style influenced by Latin translations of Avicenna.

Reacting to the teaching of many then newly circulating translations of Greek and Arabic texts of metaphysics and natural philosophy, and writing under early-thirteenth-century prohibitions at Paris, William attempted to identify and refute the errors of these works. But he was also greatly...